Due to the acceleration of the adulteration of animal sources of protein,
including those labeled "organic," it is important to make sure our
readers know that soybeans, which are listed as an ingredient on a variety of
processed food product labels, are not a viable source of protein. It is
interesting to note that the famous vegan herbalists and naturopaths in recent
history never advocated the use of soybeans as a source of dietary protein.
Since we have had many requests for a lucid dissertation on soy and its known
risks while witnessing many of our associates using soy products, we felt this
information is extremely timely. Many people do not do well on a strictly vegan
vegetarian diet and need access to unadulterated sources of animal protein. The
Weston A. Price Foundation is an invaluable source of accurate information and
is a credible advocacy organization for the health benefits of raw,
unadulterated dairy products, grass fed beef and natural husbandry practices.

Myth: Use of soy as a food dates back many thousands of years.

Truth: Soy was first used as a food during the late Chou dynasty (1134-246 BC),
only after the Chinese learned to ferment soy beans to make foods like tempeh,
natto and tamari.

Myth: Asians consume large amounts of soy foods.

Truth: Average consumption of soy foods in Japan and China is 10 grams (about 2
teaspoons) per day. Asians consume soy foods in small amounts as a condiment,
and not as a replacement for animal foods.

Truth: The compound that resembles vitamin B12 in soy cannot be used by the
human body; in fact, soy foods cause the body to require more B12

Myth: Soy formula is safe for infants.

Truth: Soy foods contain trypsin inhibitors that inhibit protein digestion and
affect pancreatic function. In test animals, diets high in trypsin inhibitors
led to stunted growth and pancreatic disorders. Soy foods increase the body's
requirement for vitamin D, needed for strong bones and normal growth. Phytic
acid in soy foods results in reduced bioavailabilty of iron and zinc which are
required for the health and development of the brain and nervous system. Soy
also lacks cholesterol, likewise essential for the development of the brain and
nervous system. Megadoses of phytoestrogens in soy formula have been implicated
in the current trend toward increasingly premature sexual development in girls
and delayed or retarded sexual development in boys.

Truth: A British government report concluded that there is little evidence that
soy foods protect against breast cancer or any other forms of cancer. In fact,
soy foods may result in an increased risk of cancer.

Myth: Soy foods protect against heart disease.

Truth: In some people, consumption of soy foods will lower cholesterol, but
there is no evidence that lowering cholesterol improves one's risk of having
heart disease.

Myth: Soy estrogens (isoflavones) are good for you.

Truth: Soy isoflavones are phyto-endocrine disrupters. At dietary levels, they
can prevent ovulation and stimulate the growth of cancer cells. Eating as little
as 30 grams (about 4 tablespoons) of soy per day can result in hypothyroidism
with symptoms of lethargy, constipation, weight gain and fatigue.

Myth: Soy foods are safe and beneficial for women to use in their postmenopausal
years.

Truth: Soy foods can stimulate the growth of estrogen-dependent tumors and cause
thyroid problems. Low thyroid function is associated with difficulties in
menopause.

Myth: Phytoestrogens in soy foods can enhance mental ability.

Truth: A recent study found that women with the highest levels of estrogen in
their blood had the lowest levels of cognitive function; in Japanese Americans
tofu consumption in mid-life is associated with the occurrence of Alzheimer's
disease in later life.

Truth: Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) recently withdrew its application to the FDA
for GRAS status for soy isoflavones following an outpouring of protest from the
scientific community. The FDA never approved GRAS status for soy protein isolate
because of concern regarding the presence of toxins and carcinogens in processed
soy.

Truth: Most soy beans grown in the U.S. are genetically engineered to allow
farmers to use large amounts of herbicides.

Myth: Soy beans are good for developing nations.

Truth: In third world countries, soybeans replace traditional crops and transfer
the value-added of processing from the local population to multinational
corporations.

Soy Dangers Summarized

High levels of phytic acid in soy reduce assimilation of calcium, magnesium,
copper, iron and zinc. Phytic acid in soy is not neutralized by ordinary
preparation methods such as soaking, sprouting and long, slow cooking. High
phytate diets have caused growth problems in children.

Doctor Warns: Eat Soy and You’ll Look 5 Years OlderSerious issueSee all Dr Mercola videos here
The soy video is the fourth on the right.

By Dr. Mercola

In the early 1990's, soy and soy products exploded onto the supermarket
scene with promises of bountiful health benefits. This "new miracle
food," soy, was supposed to lower cholesterol, take the heat out of hot
flashes, protect against breast and prostate cancer and offer a filling
alternative to earth-loving vegetarians.

Sadly, most of what you have been led to believe by the media about soy
is simply untrue. The sudden upsurge in the recommendation of soy as a
health food has been nothing more than a clever marketing gimmick to further
reduce the cost and nutritional content of your food.

Sadly, most of what you have been led to believe by the media about soy
is simply untrue. The sudden upsurge in the recommendation of soy as a
health food has been nothing more than a clever marketing gimmick to further
reduce the cost and nutritional content of your food.

For you vegetarians out there staring at the screen in open-mouthed
shock, fear not. There are plenty of other healthy vegetarian alternatives,
which I will discuss later in this article. What was once considered a minor
industrial crop back in 1913 now covers over 72 million acres of farmland.
But first, let's examine the dangers and side effects of soy protein isolate
and GMO foods.

Soy Protein Isolate -- What is It, and How is it Getting in My Food?

The Soyfoods Association of America has a soy protein "fact
sheet" defining soy protein isolate as the following:

"Soy protein isolate is a dry powder food ingredient that has
been separated or isolated from the other components of the soybean,
making it 90 to 95 percent protein and nearly carbohydrate and
fat-free."

Bodybuilders beware: because many weight gainer powders, bars and shakes
contain this dangerous ingredient and it can cause troubling side effects
such as diminished libido and erectile dysfunction -- and this is just the
start. You'll find out more about these disturbing health effects later on
in this article.

Even if you are not a vegetarian and do not use soymilk or tofu, it is
important to become a label reader. There are so many different names for
soy additives, you could be bringing home a genetically modified soy-based
product without even realizing it. Here are just a few names soy tends to
hide under:

Not all textured vegetable protein is made from soy, but a great deal of
it is. Lecithin can be made from soy, eggs, sunflower or corn. Be sure to
contact the manufacturer to find out which is in your product if the label
doesn't reveal this information.

Genetically modified soybeans are designed to be "Roundup
ready." That's right, they are chemically engineered to withstand heavy
doses of herbicides without killing the plant! What does this mean for your
health and the health of your unborn or yet-to-be-conceived children? Read
on.

GM Soy Can Lead to Hormonal Disruption and Miscarriages

The active ingredient in Roundup herbicide is called glyphosate, which is
responsible for the disruption of the delicate hormonal balance of the
female reproductive cycle.

What's more, glyphosate is toxic to the placenta, which is responsible
for delivering vital nutrients from mother to child, and eliminating waste
products. Once the placenta has been damaged or destroyed, the result can be
miscarriage. In those children born to mothers who have been exposed to even
a small amount of glyphosate, serious birth defects can result.

Amphibian embryos were exposed to a tiny concentration of glyphosate
(diluted 5000 fold) and showed the following effects:

"Effects included reduced head size, genetic alterations in
the central nervous system, increased death of cells that help form the
skull, deformed cartilage, eye defects, and undeveloped kidneys. Carrasco
also stated that the glyphosate was not breaking down in the cells, but
was accumulating.

The findings lend weight to claims that abnormally high levels of
cancer, birth defects, neonatal mortality, lupus, kidney disease, and skin
and respiratory problems in populations near Argentina's soybean fields
may be linked to the aerial spraying of Roundup."

The long-term effects of the human consumption of genetically modified
soy and soy-based products are staggering.

In April 2010, researchers at Russia's Institute of Ecology and Evolution
of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the National Association for Gene
Security found that after feeding hamsters GM soy for two years over three
generations, by the third generation, most lost
the ability to have babies! Now, let's take a close
look at some of the health risks to YOU as a result of eating
genetically modified soy.

Infertility in Women

Do you want to start a family? Have you had any trouble conceiving,
perhaps due to irregular menstrual cycles or endometriosis? Have you ever
experienced a miscarriage?

If so, what you're about to read will shock you.

A Brazilian
study published in 2009 looked at the impact of soy on the reproductive
system of female rats. Female rats fed GM soy for 15 months showed
significant changes in their uterus and reproductive cycles, compared to
rats fed organic soy or no soy.

Extrapolating the findings to people, women who eat genetically modified
soy products, such as the soy protein isolate in processed vegetarian fare,
may be more likely to experience severe hormonal disruptions, including an
overabundance of estrogen, a hair-growth stimulating hormone, and damage to
the pituitary gland.

According to Dr. Stanley Ewen, the female rats fed GM soy probably had an
increase
in progesterone, which could cause an increase in the number of eggs
released during each ovulation cycle.

You might think this would lead to an increase in fertility. However, as
discussed in an
article by Jeffrey Smith, women who consume genetically modified soy
products are at increased risk for developing retrograde menstruation (the
menstrual cycle backs up into the body instead of outward), causing
endometriosis, which can lead to infertility.

The consumption of soy protein isolate and other soy-based products can
also lead to abnormally heavy or longer menstrual periods. This is called
menorrhagia and, ironically, some commercials have been popping up with a
new pill that supposedly offers the "cure" for this "mystery
syndrome."

When in reality the real cure for some women is as simple as removing soy
and soy-based products from the diet. The negative effects of soy are not
restricted to women, however.

Another drawback: Soy has also been linked to erectile dysfunction. The
two natural drugs found in soy, genistein and daidzein,
mimic estrogen so well that they have been known to cause a variety of
alarming side effects in men:

Breast enlargement (gynecomastia)

Decreased facial and body hair growth

Decreased libido

Mood swings and frequent crying jags

Erectile dysfunction

Lowered sperm count

For example, one
recent study documented a case of gynecomastia in a 60-year-old man as a
result of his soy consumption. Another
study showed that juvenile rats exposed to daidzein showed impaired
erectile function at maturity.

Men, if you've experienced one or any of these symptoms, soy could be the
culprit. Remove it from your diet, but be sure to consult a trusted
physician if your symptoms do not improve or get worse as this could be a
sign of another serious condition.

The Healthy Aspects of Soy: Fermented vs. Unfermented

In order to back up the claim that soy is a health food, privately funded
"researchers" have been quick to point out that Asians, who
consume a diet high in soy, have less risk of breast, uterine and prostate
cancer. Unfortunately, they leave out two very important
points:

Asians also consume a diet rich in fermented soy, which is the only
type of soy to offer health benefits.

The reason Asians have an increased risk for some cancers is the same
reason they do not develop others: unfermented soy. The soy marketing and
promotion gurus left out this critical piece of information. Would you
rather have one cancer over another? Isn't that like asking whether or not
you'd like to be whacked in the head with a two-by-four vs. a wooden stick?

You might be asking yourself what the big difference is between consuming
a fermented soy product such as, say, tempeh, vs. tofu or a veggie burger.
I'm here to tell you, the difference is night and day.

Unfermented AND fermented soy contains hormonal mimics in the form of
isoflavones which can not only disrupt delicate hormone systems in your
body, but also act as goitrogens, substances that suppress
your thyroid function. When the thyroid is suppressed, a host of health
problems result, namely:

Anxiety and mood swings

Insomnia

Difficulty losing weight

Difficulty conceiving children

Digestive problems

Food allergies

And so much more. No wonder soy
can lead to thyroid, esophagus and stomach cancer! Unfermented soy is
also chock full of phytic
acid, an "antinutrient" responsible for leeching vital
nutrients from your body. Phytic acid also blocks the uptake of essential
minerals such as calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc especially.

Now, fermented soy products do provide health benefits.

As I mentioned in my
previous article, some examples of healthful fermented soyproducts
are as follows:

Tempeh, a fermented soybean cake with a firm texture
and nutty, mushroom-like flavor.

Miso, a fermented soybean paste with a salty, buttery
texture (commonly used in miso soup).

Soy sauce, which is traditionally made by fermenting
soybeans, salt and enzymes; be wary because many varieties on the market
today are made artificially using a chemical process.

For those of you who enjoy tofu, I'm sorry to say it didn't make this
list because tofu is an unfermented soy product.

So, What Are The Health Benefits of Fermented Soy Products?

The claim that soy products can prevent osteoporosis, decrease your risk
of cardiovascular disease and dementia and protect you from cancer of the
prostate, lung and liver is actually true, but ONLY if the soy is fermented.

How?

The process of fermenting soy destroys the above-mentioned dangerous
substances, thereby making it fit for consumption. Also, fermented soy
products such as those listed above are a rich
source of vitamin K2, a vitamin that works in harmony with vitamin D to
keep you healthy. Vitamin K regulates your body's blood clotting ability and
helps prevent cancer, osteoporosis and heart disease. And vitamin
D is essential to the function of every system in your body.

Warning to Vegetarians about the Risk of Mineral Deficiency

Since phytic acid or phytates sap the nutrients from your body, if you're
eating a vegetarian diet that has replaced meat with mostly unfermented soy
such as veggie burgers containing GMO soy protein isolate, you are at risk
for severe mineral deficiency.

In addition to this nutrient loss, many processed veggie burgers and the
like are packed with harmful
artificial flavorings, particularly MSG and textured vegetable protein
products to give them their strong "meat" flavor.

What's even worse is the process soy has to go through to become soy
protein isolate. Acid washing in aluminum tanks, which is designed to remove
some of the antinutrients (but the results often vary widely), leeches
aluminum into the final product. Aluminum
can have adverse effects on brain development and cause symptoms such
as:

As I mentioned in a previous
article about soy, this makes processed vegetarian fare more palatable,
but far from nutritious. Vegetarians have plenty of options for
well-rounded, nutritious meals without needing to eat soy or soy-based
products.

Beans are an inexpensive, protein-rich food that can be eaten alone,
added to salads or served as a side dish. Be sure to purchase organic
dried beans and cook them at home to avoid the adverse
health effects of eating canned food. Ideally is it also best to
soak them for at least 12 hours before cooking them.

Nuts are also an excellent source of protein. For optimal health
benefits, reach for organic nuts such as almonds or walnuts, instead of
overly processed mixed nuts.

Quinoa is a gluten free grain that can be enjoyed as a cereal, side
dish or added to homemade vegetable stews as a thickener.

Flaxseed, which is rich in essential omega 3 fats like ALA, is an
excellent source of protein. Add it to salads or sprinkle it over yogurt
to infuse your meal with vital nutrients. However, it is important to
grind flax seeds just prior to eating them because100 percent of
commercially ground flaxseeds are rancid. Hemp
seeds are also an excellent source of protein.

Hope for the Lactose Intolerant

If you suffer from lactose intolerance and have been replacing milk with
soy, you have three more healthful options: Almond milk, and now hemp milk.
All are nutritious alternatives to soy, and almond milk has a richer,
heartier flavor. Hemp
milk is a very creamy, high protein alternative to soymilk, and it's
easy to blend your own by whizzing up hemp seeds and water in a high-speed
blender.

Babies -- Birth Control in a Bottle

"In 1998, investigators reported that the daily exposure of
infants to isoflavones in soy infant formula is 6 to11 times higher on a
body-weight basis than the dose that has hormonal effects in adults
consuming soy foods. Circulating concentrations of isoflavones in infants
fed soy-based formula were 13,000 to 22,000 times higher than plasma
estradiol concentrations in infants on cow's milk formula."

What does this mean? Feeding your infant soy-based formula can cause a
host of health problems including:

Behavioral problems

Food allergies and digestive distress

Early puberty and fertility problems (including the inability to
menstruate)

Soy formula is also laden with toxic chemicals such as aluminum and manganese,
which can cause both physical and mental health problems, learning
disabilities, brain damage and behavioral problems. If, for some reason, you
are unable to breastfeed or have adopted a baby, look into these
recipes for homemade infant formula.

School Lunch -- Children's Nutrition Left Behind

In order to comply with new US Government standards, soy products are now
being used to replace whole, nutritious foods in school lunches. Due to the
decreased fat content of soy, it is touted as a healthful alternative to the
meat and dairy of yesterday's hot meal.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Soy added to your child's hot lunch depletes the necessary nutrients
needed for healthy growth and has been linked to learning disabilities. I
encourage you to watch
this sobering video to learn more about the dangers in your child's
school lunch. Do your children a favor and send them to school with a
healthy, home-packed meal.

Senior Citizens -- Aging Less Gracefully

According to a study
done by Dr. Lon White of the Hawaii Center for Health Research, senior
citizens who consumed a lot of tofu in mid-life were more likely to
experience accelerated brain aging and a more pronounced loss of cognitive
function.

"What's more," said Dr White, "those who ate a lot
of tofu, by the time they were 75 or 80, looked five years older."

If you're heading toward your golden years and are looking to avoid soy
protein, become a label reader. Meal replacement drinks like Ensure are
filled with soy protein and are best avoided. If you're looking for a
wholesome, nutrient-filled vegetarian meal replacement drink, try my 100%
Pure Pea Protein supplement. As you can see, unfermented soy is anything
but a health food.

Do your own research, try eliminating it from your family's diet and
judge the results for yourself. Remember, an educated consumer is an armed
consumer. Big companies can only produce and sell these harmful products as
long as you're buying them.

More
negatives on soy"Against the backdrop of widespread praise...there is
growing suspicion that soy - may pose some health hazards," writes
Marian Burros, a leading food writer for the New York Times. More than any
other writer, Ms Burros's endorsement of a low-fat, largely vegetarian diet
has herded Americans into supermarket aisles featuring soy foods. Yet her
January 26, 2000 article, "Doubts Cloud Rosy News on Soy",
contains the following alarming statement: "Not one of the 18
scientists interviewed for this column was willing to say that taking
isoflavones was risk free." Ms Burros did not enumerate the risks, nor
did she mention that the recommended 25 daily grams of soy protein contain
enough isoflavones to cause problems in sensitive individuals, but it was
evident that the industry had recognized the need to cover itself.

Because the industry is extremely exposed...contingency lawyers will soon
discover that the number of potential plaintiffs can be counted in the
millions and the pockets are very, very deep. Juries will hear something
like the following: "The industry has known for years that soy contains
many toxins. At first they told the public that the toxins were removed by
processing. When it became apparent that processing could not get rid of
them, they claimed that these substances were beneficial. Your government
granted a health claim to a substance that is poisonous, and the industry
lied to the public to sell more soy."

The "industry" includes merchants, manufacturers, scientists,
publicists, bureaucrats, former bond financiers, food writers, vitamin
companies and retail stores. Farmers will probably escape because they were
duped like the rest of us. But they need to find something else to grow
before the soy bubble bursts and the market collapses: grass-fed livestock,
designer vegetables...or hemp to make paper for thousands and thousands of
legal briefs.

Its a big industry Soy is, but just like smoking was and still is, the
business aspect will keep this potentially harmful ingredient in our food
chain with its potential toxic and health damaging effects being spread
throughout the populations with out our knowing. At least we cigarettes we
could smell smoke and move out of the way. With soy we choke it down not
knowing the vast amount of serious health damaging potential ingredients we
are putting into perhaps every cell in our bodies. To use Soy in a meal
replacement Weight Loss Shake is one of the most reprehensible acts I have
ever seen in health care. Someone somewhere in the chain of making these
products has got to know the potential harm they are inflicting on an
innocent population!

One of the worst effects of Soy, in my opinion, is that is decreases
telomerase, the enzyme that rebuilds telomere units to keep us younger.
Shutting down telomerase should in all likelihood accelerating aging. Not
only does Soy have the potential to damage our health in so many ways, now
the chance of our aging faster because of it is gasoline on the the bonfire
of toxins it has the very real possibility of afflicting us with.
Soy-Cigarettes-Asbestos I believe will soon be synonymous with the real
potential health hazards of our generation.

I wonder why this type of information isn't more widespread. Do you think
lobby groups and GREED might have something to do with it?

Watch out my friend, big business does not care about your health. They care
about how much they can pry out of your wallet.